One step closer to thought crime

Taking it on face value, a neighbour asked him to remove it as it was
offensive, he left it up, & tried to close the door on the cops
(implying he wasn't going to take any notice of them). Surely it's
better they sorted it while they had the chance rather than having to
get a warrant to force entry?

 

I really don't see why having the word 'wanker' in your window is so
offensive that it requires police action at all.

They even use the word **** on the wireless these days.

 

I'd guess they only got involved when the neighbour asked them to,
which is fair enough. If the bloke wanted to defend his rights to
display it he should've done so, not shut the door in the cops' faces.

Filthy fuckers.

 

You know as well as me that being offensive is no longer tolerated. The
definition being if anyone who can be arsed finds anything you say,
offensive.

 

He claims that he tried to hold the door while he asked the police for
ID and they just pushed in. Personally, I think they should have got a
warrant before entering someone's home and I don't think it's better
that they `sorted it' without one.

 

Not in the Guardian link posted, he says he tried to close the door. At
least that's what's quoted in the text, haven't watched the video.

 

My mistake: they asked him. He was still under no obligation to talk
to them or to keep the door open.

 

I assume they don't need a warrant if they are coming to arrest you?

 

If the cops ask to see someone's ID to confirm he's the person they
want to talk to regarding an offence, & that person effectively tries
to do a runner, is it not reasonable for the cops to try & stop him?

 

"Do a runner", by not moving from his own home? And "offence"?

**** me, you're talking about him as if he'd fucked some kids, not put a
poster up in his own home with the word 'wanker' on it.

 

How are the cops meant to know he wasn't gonna leg it out the back once
he'd shut the door?

Yes. A stupid law, sure. But it's still an offence & the cops have a
duty to act if a member of the public complains, no matter how pathetic
we think the crime is.

 

Which brings us back to "doing a runner". They had no warrant, he wasn't
on bail, short of putting up another poster with the word 'wanker' on it
in another window the odds of him committing another "office" were
pretty slim, so the police have a duty to act proportionally, no matter
how pathetic we think the crime is.

If you think a proportional response is to barge into someone's home,
cuff them and start redecorating, I think you're fucking nuts.

 

He was still committing the original offence at that point though
wasn't he?

They would most probably have had to read him his rights before talking
to him about the poster, in which case he was resisting arrest. It's
not like they smashed the door in. And cuffing someone who's just tried
to resist arrest is perfectly understandable. Sure it's over the top
given the nature of the crime, but just sounds like standard police
practice given his reaction.

Don't forget they knew nothing about the guy, other than he'd committed
an offence & appeared to support an anarchy organisation that want to
kill the rich. Which makes them right to be wary & a bit ott imo.

 

You're seriously trying to excuse heavy-handed policing, aren't you.
What next, "he's a bit funny-looking"?

 

Not at all, just playing devil's advocate as we only know his side of
the story. And having now googled him a bit, I'd take everything he
says with a very large pinch of salt. He appears to have a major issue
with the cops.

 

Hopefully the upcoming repeals bill will remove some of the dafter
offences. It seems after 13 years of Labour it's practically illegal to
say boo to a goose.

 

Sounds incredibly sensible to me. What I don't understand is why *five*
cops would be sent to speak to someone about a poster. That makes no
sense at all, unless there's something else going on we don't know
about it.

Something we can all agree on I suspect.

 

I know I keep saying this but I've lived in a police state and the UK
certainly isn't one.

 

heh, it would put the German fuzz to shame in the 'humourless c*nts'
stakes ..

Paul.

 

Oh bollocks, they'll repeal **** all. The government have the populace
exactly where they want them. Under surveillance and under the
thumb ..

Paul.